Hungover Until Thanksgiving
by Sc0rpi0-Karma
Summary: "Cider, for the ladies? It's the Lockwood special." "No way. Last year I was hungover until Thanksgiving." A season 1 AU based on this one off line


**A/N: This isn't my best work, but I needed to test something tumblr and this was the only Tonnie plot bunny I could write in one day. But anyway, it's a fun AU to explore. **

* * *

_Cider, for the ladies? It's the Lockwood special._

_No way. Last year I was hungover until Thanksgiving_.

"Which you later learned was because you were pregnant." Caroline chimed in.

"Which wouldn't have happened had it not been for the cider."

"That's one hell of a hangover." Tyler said nervously.

"You don't say?" Bonnie said bitterly.

Noticing the tension between the two Caroline quickly made her exit grabbing a cup from Tyler.

"How is she, Phacelia?" Tyler said once Caroline was out of earshot.

"She's fine."

"Should you even be here? Shouldn't you be, like taking care of her right now?"

"She's with my Grams. She's fine. If you're so worried you can come by and see her any time."

"You know I can't do that Bon."

"Because you're a coward, afraid of mommy and daddy cutting you off."

"Hey, I help pay for her."

"No, your parents do. They pay me to stay at home on my Friday nights while you get to go out and live life like a normal teenager."

"You know if I had a choice it wouldn't be like that."

"But you did have a choice and it is like that."

"They're my parents! What do you expect me to do about it?"

"Stand up for me! Our daughter! Or at the very least yourself!"

"We've been over this!"

"Exactly! So, I don't know why you're still here asking about her? You paid not to have to deal with it. Enjoy your freedom."

"Damn it! Is it so wrong of me to care about my daughter? I'm not heartless Bonnie!"

"But you are spineless. If you really wanted to be in her life you would be there. Instead you're here dressed as whatever the fuck this is handing death punch to women. Better hope you don't knock someone else up this time, or else you might start a damn litter."

"I don't need this. You, Vicki, you guys keep hounding me like I have any say in it." He back away from her booth before he did something else he wasn't proud.

Bonnie crossed her arms fuming at him. She hated him, or more she wished she hated him. She knew he wasn't this guy that abandoned those he loved—in fact, he was one of the most loyal people she knew. That is until last Halloween when in a drunken haze they did what dumb teenagers who can't hold their liquor did and had unprotected sex.

When the pregnancy test came up positive she had been scared, luckily her Grams was supportive of whatever she chose. When she told Tyler she hadn't expected him to be ecstatic, but she definitely hadn't expected to be handed an NDA. They had wanted her to give her up for adoption, but Bonnie didn't want to do that. Call her stupid, call her naïve, call her selfish (which she had been called multiple times by Richard and Carol Lockwood), but she wanted to keep her baby. Something inside of her wouldn't let her recognize the baby as anything other than hers and despite all logic she kept the baby.

It had been tough going for the end of her sophomore year. Through it all she still had Elena and Caroline to help her through it all, but it still weighed on her that she couldn't tell them who the father was, but it mostly weighed on her that Tyler didn't have to endure the humiliation she did. I was always worse for girls, but was even worse when the man wasn't around to claim his baby. She was called every derogatory term for women under the sun, and that still didn't compare to the racist comments she got. People she'd gone to school with her whole life calling her ghetto, hood rat, baby mama.

Elena would help when she could but it was Caroline would do the most—she caused an outright scene in the middle of the cafeteria standing on the table and telling everyone, including the teachers to fuck off. Bonnie was well aware she hadn't made the best choice, but she didn't need everyone else weighing in on that. She just needed to prepare for her baby girl and that's exactly what she did. She wasn't due until summer so she didn't have to take time off school. With the money from the Lockwood's she was able to afford a good daycare.

Tyler wasn't completely MIA and that's what broke her every time. Any time on a particularly bad day in school, or when she just looked overwhelmed he would sneak to her house later to make sure she and the baby were alright. She would get hope that he would be there after the baby was born, and then he would go back to ignoring her at school. When summer break hit she sent him away. She couldn't have him messing with her heart that way and she definitely couldn't have him messing with their daughter. No dad was better than a one you could only see in secret.

* * *

**Three Months Later**

_"I've got to find Tyler and pay my respects. I'll be back," _Bonnie said bouncing her gurgling infant.

"Can I hold her?" Mason asked before she took off.

"I don't know," she replied warily. Past experience showed she couldn't trust the Lockwood's when it came to her daughter.

"I promise I won't drop her. It's not every day I get to see my great niece."

Bonnie was taken aback by Mason's statement. No one in Tyler's family had ever acknowledged Phacelia in private, let alone out in the open at Richard Lockwood's wake for Christ's sake. "How did you know?"

"My brother may have paid to not have anyone in this town know, but you can't keep family secret for long—especially in his family." Mason had a haunted look in his eyes before he turned his attention back to his niece.

She was still apprehensive, but she relented anyway. "If you need anything or she becomes too much just come find me."

"Will do," he said happily taking the infant. "You're so tiny," he said in a baby voice bouncing her in his arms.

"You wouldn't say that if you saw her six months ago, she grows like a weed."

"I'm not surprised Tyler did too. He was also big when he was born I'm surprised Carol even got him out."

"You'd be surprised what the female body can do," she said right before leaving. He daughter was content in Mason's arms and didn't seem like he was going to drop her.

She found him in his dad's study drinking out of a flask. "Mind if I come in?"

Her presences startled him out of his thoughts. He was about to yell at whoever came in to get out, but when he saw it was Bonnie his face softened. Of course she would be here. Neither he nor his father deserved her condolences, but here she was the kind caring person, here for him. He smiled sadly and shook his head.

She walked slowly toward him planting herself on the desk right next to him. "How you doing?"

"I'm fine."

"Mmhmm, well you look fantastic. Almost like you got sleep and haven't been drinking nonstop for the last 36 hours."

"What do you care? It's not like I'm your favorite person at the moment."

"True, but that doesn't mean I don't care. Despite our history, you do matter to me."

"I shouldn't. The only person I treated worse than you was Vicki which is saying something since I left you to raise a kid alone. I don't deserve anything from you. I'm a bad person Bonnie."

"You think I don't know that! You think I don't agonize over every time I feel something other than hate for you?"

"Then why are you here"

"Because I remember who you were, who you are underneath all the bullshit. The Tyler I knew would have never let his parents take Phacelia away from him. The Tyler I knew may have been a dick, but he was always there when you needed him. Every time Kelly would go MIA you'd make sure Matt and Vicki had food. When Caroline's dad left you sat with her while she cried in the driveway waiting for him to come back—for a week. When Abby left and I was just so pissed you took me with you to the tether ball court, even though you got made fun of for bringing a girl, and you let me win every time. No one who does all of can be a bad person—good people can do bad things you know."

"My dad wasn't a good person. In fact, he was downright nasty, and even with knowing that I don't get why I miss him, why I care. I should be happy he's dead."

"When someone is that much part of you, it's hard to hate them, even when they're gone."

"Is that how you feel about me?"

"Maybe." The room was silent as Tyler mulled over Bonnie's words. He was a part of Bonnie even before Phacelia came.

He's not too ashamed to admit that he's had a crush on her since childhood. She was pretty, and the only girl to care about him even after his antics. She was always able to see the bigger picture when she saw the busted lip he got from "playing", she didn't care that he had pushed her off the monkey bars earlier, she made sure he was okay, others wellbeing always came first. From that day on he admired her and made sure anyone who had a problem with Bonnie Bennett had a problem with him. But what do you do when you're the one causing the problem?

* * *

Mason was surrounded by a cluster of women. Hot man with a baby was always a hit, but that's not why he was holding the baby, he truly did want to see his niece for the first time, and was likely going to be the last. Richard buried this secret so far down he probably took it to the grave. Not only was that a horrible thing to do to Bonnie, Phacelia and his own son, but it was also extremely irresponsible. Heaven forbid it ever happen to her, but the Lockwood's were cursed and that impacted the tiny baby in his arms.

"She's so cute. That's really generous of you to help out. Poor things mama, she's so young, doesn't know a thing about parenting" one of the slightly older women at Richard's wake said.

He gave her tight smile, "Who can resist holding a baby?" The women around him looked at him more dreamily and he couldn't help but groan internally. People here were really easy to impress.

He was in what she thought to be a lively conversation about childcare with a woman whose name he didn't catch when Carol approached him. "Mason, it's so great to see you," she said in her faux sincere voice. "It's been too long."

She tried to hug him but the baby was in the way. She took a step back and looked at the baby. She knew who's baby it was and she didn't want Mason to be seen with her—too close to home and at Richard's wake of all place.

"Isn't she such a cute thing? I bet her mother is just itching to get her back in her arms, don't you?"

"I know, but she's too adorable to let go of yet. Do you want to hold her?"

"Don't be ridiculous, she's looks very comfortable with you."

"What's the matter Carol? It's just an _innocent baby_. What's there to be afraid of? Surely you remember when Tyler was this young."

"Of course, I just don't want spit up on this dress."

"Heaven forbid you look anything other than put together."

She smiled tightly at him. "Anyway, can we have a moment alone, there are things in the will that we must discuss."

"Right now?"

"Yes, so I suggest you get that child back to her mother." She didn't give him time to respond before she walked away.

"I can take her, if you need," the woman he was talking to earlier offered.

"No, I don't think her mother would appreciate me handing her off to a stranger."

"But you were going to give her to Carol Lockwood."

"Trust me, she's no stranger," he said leaving the conversation.

* * *

Bonnie never thought she'd be in this position again—making out with Tyler Lockwood, but there she was straddling him in his Dad's office chair devouring him like he was water in a desert. Neither had expected for it to get this far, but their feelings were so jumbled this was the only outlet they could find.

He had just started to graze her neck with his teeth when they herd the office door opened. In walked Mason with their daughter in hand covering her eyes with the other. "Sorry to interrupt but think this little lady wants her mommy."

Bonnie jumped up immediately and took her out of his arms. It was weird, she didn't seem fussy, in fact she looked just as happy as she was when she left her with him, but she didn't care. If he didn't want to hold her anymore then that was his business.

Tyler stood right behind her looking at his daughter. "She's gotten so big," he exclaimed with awe.

"Yeah, that happens to babies in six months."

Her tone made shame fill him immediately. "Can I hold her?"

She looked at him apprehensively. "You know it's easier if you don't."

"For me or you?"

"Both."

"You let Mason hold her. Apparently she's been with him this whole damn time, and was fine." He was starting to get angry.

"There's nothing at stake with Mason."

He was about to snap at her when his uncle took him aside.

"I think it'd be better for everyone if you left Bonnie." He didn't mean to sound so cold, but he could tell his nephew was about to do something he regretted and needed Bonnie out of the room as fast as possible.

In that moment Bonnie felt small and hated it. She wanted to retort something back, but thought better of it. Besides, she needed to get home soon, it was almost nap time. "Fine," she said leaving.

Mason smacked Tyler across the back of his head. "What the hell is wrong with you? Picking fights with your kid in the room."

If he wasn't so angry he would be ashamed of himself, but in that moment all he could feel was rage and jealousy. "What's wrong with me!" he shouted. "We're at my father's wake and you're asking what's wrong with me. A lot Mason, not that you would know because you haven't been around! But of course you're here long enough to charm Bonnie into letting you hold my daughter."

"Hey! I didn't do this Tyler. You did. You want things to change you gotta do that yourself."

"Did you not see me? I was trying!"

"That's not trying. That's just breaking what little trust she has in you more and you know it."

"Fuck you! I don't need this." He walked out of the room slamming it behind him.

* * *

He hated this, he hated how much he was like his father. He was tired of being angry all the time, he was tired of not getting see his daughter too, but he knew it was for the best. Given his anger management issues there was no way he, in good conscious mind, could subject is own child to that. He had already lived that nightmare and no one, let alone his own kid, deserved that.

Hours had passed and he still hadn't calmed down. This wasn't normal, but then again he had never had something to be this angry over in his life. He went back to his father's study looking for a stash of whiskey. He needed a drink and his flask had run out. A picture of him and his dad caught his eye. It was of one of many functions his parent threw—he could never keep track of them, but he remembers the events leading up to the photo being taken.

It was a rare day when is dad was actually in a good mood, he didn't yell at him when he was five minutes late, when he spent too much time with Matt, or when he hogged all of the hors d'oeuvres, it had truly been a good day until Bonnie threw up.

He waved off Caroline's helicoptering and took her inside so she could lie down. There she had given him the biggest shock of his life when he learned that she wasn't sick due to food poisoning, but pregnant with his baby. He hadn't known what to do and like any other kid in crisis he went to his Dad. He should have known that would have been a mistake—it always was.

Tears formed thinking about it, and just like always his anger took over once more and he threw the photo against the wall shattering it to pieces. Still pissed he threw all the stuff on the desk destroying whatever valuables there were. He continued to demolish the room, the lie his father had tried to maintain that he was a good man and they were a happy family.

"Tyler!" his mother shouted interrupting his tirade.

"What!" he shouted back huffing in anger with tears falling down his face.

She moved back an inch. "Tyler, stop."

"Why? It's not like any of the crap means anything."

"That doesn't mean it's alright to destroy it. Besides what will other people think?"

"Can you stop the appearances bullshit and be my mom for once? You hated him just as much as I did."

"That doesn't mean I didn't love him!"

"Why is it so hard? He made our live miserable and yet here we are grieving him like he was worth our tears."

"Because it's not about him, it's about you, it's about us. He's gone and now we have to figure out what that means."

"I want it to mean that I can be happy again. That I can see Bonnie, or my daughter, but I'm still the angry coward I was before he died."

Carol didn't know what to say so she just did what she had wanted to do since she found him destroying Richard's office and hugged her son. She couldn't make the pain go away but she could give him some good old fashioned motherly love—something he had been sorely missing over the years.

When he had calmed down he slowly moved away from her. "I want to tell people."

"You know we can't do that. The only thing worse than a scandal is finding out there was a cover up."

"Who cares? Dad's dead, there's no election for him to win. I've already missed six months of her life I don't intend miss more."

"Why don't you just see her, in private, and we don't tell anyone."

"Bonnie won't go for that. I need to earn her trust back and that's not going to do anything. I need to be in my daughter's life full time. I need you to drop the NDA."

Carol went quiet. It was her idea, it beat the alternative—forcing Bonnie to get rid of it—and it kept all parties (Richard) happy. She didn't like the idea of having a granddaughter out of wedlock as just much as her husband didn't but now that he was gone there was nothing she could do to change Tyler's mind. She couldn't kick her only son out especially after a loss like this, and she couldn't cut him off. Discipline was always Richard's area and she was always too weak and babied her son.

"It looks like I don't have choice, do I."

"No."

* * *

It took a long time for Bonnie to actually forgive him, but it was worth it. They were finally the family they were meant to be. He got therapy and worked on his anger management, and found that person that he once was again, no longer did he have a chip on his shoulder. And Bonnie, with her Grams dead and her Dad out of town most of the year, she welcomed the extra help. It took her a while to trust him again, but once he was that loyal person he used to be again, it wasn't that hard.


End file.
